Abstract

1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1-(4- or 3-pyridyl)-2-phenylbut-1-ene (E/Z-I, R = Me) were prepd. by coupling of the corresponding 4-methoxyphenyl pyridyl ketone with EtCOPh using TCl4/Zn as the reducing agent. Ether cleavage yielded I (R = H) which were either treated with Me2NCH2CH2Cl to give the tamoxifen analog I (R = CH2CH2NMe2) or transformed into I (R = Ac).